Proposed Solar Policy

Proposed Solar Policy

Wales can easily reach net zero and remain a major electricity exporter to the rest of GB just from using offshore wind turbines in the Irish and Celtic Seas.  Other than storage and grid balancing there is no need for any onshore renewables, or other generation, to “keep the lights on”

However, we recognise that both the Welsh and U.K. governments strongly support solar as it is the lowest cost way of generating electricity, and it is likely to have a greater presence in the “grid mix”

Currently:

• developments under 10 MW are consented by the Local Planning Authority
• developments of 10-350 MW are consented by Welsh ministers
• over 350 MW developments are consented by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Solar deployment should follow a hierarchy:

• integrated into new build domestic, commercial and industrial buildings by the building developer and  be mandated by building standards
• retrofitted to existing buildings by the building owners
• solar parks on brownfield, low quality (non-BMV) agricultural or other marginal land by solar park developers

For solar parks, we believe the developers should follow these design principles:

• Engage with the community, and elected representatives, at the very outset, before negotiating with landowners and forming outline designs.  Involve them in the design process 
• Only utilise non BMV agricultural land
• Set a maximum size for individual blocks of panels (eg 10 acres, 2-3 MW) and separate these by multiples of their size.  This size will depend on the type of landscape
• Set a panel density to guarantee effective grazing can be maintained
• Use road verges and railway corridors where possible
• Use linear features in the landscape such as hedge/field boundaries
• Spread out infrastructure so no single area is dominated (subject to land quality)
• Connect to the distribution and transmission grid at multiple locations and voltages (11 kV, 33 kV, 66 kV, 132 kV, 400 kV)
• Site some or all battery storage adjacent to DNO primary substations 
• Screen blocks of panels with densely planted, low growing (ca 4 m), native trees that are known to thrive (eg hazel, goat willow, hawthorn) and which could potentially form part of a farm woodland coverage
• Offer community benefits directed towards achieving net zero (eg rooftop solar, heat pumps, insulation, car chargers, community energy trading etc)